Twenty-six 5th grade contestants were introduced before the contest. Jefferson School teacher and event organizer Karen Steiner said the students on stage represented the winners of their classroom spelling bee. “Contestants have been given the rules and we have practiced the process with them. They must pronounce the word, spell it, and pronounce it again.”

Cemetery and jealousy were two of the tough words that tripped up some of the contestants in Round 1.

Round 2, with 11 contestants, saw the word unnecessary reduce the number of contestants moving on to Round 3 to seven.

Words precipitation, receive and architecture then reduced the group to three for Round 4. These three contestants flew through a couple of rounds, all spelling their words correctly, until Round 6 saw the word existence eliminate one.

The last word in the contest, mysterious, saw second place contestant, Ryan Rampaul, miss, and the winner, Karina DaSilva, correctly spell it.

“It is extraordinary how challenging the words are and how the contestants are truly great spellers," said teacher and event organizer Karen Steiner.

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ -- Ever wanted to own your own amusement park like Michael Jackson? Now you can, and your don't have to wait on line for tickets!

Bowcraft, the scene of countless local children's birthday parties and decades of summer fun in Union County, has closed forever, but thanks to an online liquidation sale, you can purchase rides such as the Galleon, the Scrambler or the Flying ...

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ -- Ever wanted to own your own amusement park like Michael Jackson? Now you can, ...

UNION, NJ – The Rotary Club of Union held its 9th Annual Automobilia Night, the Rotary’s major fundraising event, Friday evening, as guests marveled at the private collection of automobiles, bicycles, games, and thousands of other items of memorabilia. The evening was hosted by the Rotary Club and the Rotaract Club of Kean University.

Herb Singe, one of the Rotary’s longest standing members ...

UNION, NJ – The Rotary Club of Union held its 9th Annual Automobilia Night, the Rotary’s major ...

UNION, NJ - Thursday's autumn snowstorm hit much harder than weather forecasts predicted, and Union, like towns all across the state, had to deal with gridlock, accidents and disabled vehicles. Union got over four inches of snow, at least twice what was originally expected.

The storm had Union handling dozens of reports of motor vehicle accidents and disabled cars. Union police report they ...

UNION, NJ - Union police are asking the public for help in finding a missing person.

According to a social media post from Union police, the woman came to police headquarters yesterday during the snow storm trying to get help getting home. Police indicate that "she wandered away because it took hours for her ride to arrive in the storm."

Police say the woman has health issues and missed ...

UNION, NJ - Union police are asking the public for help in finding a missing person.

UNION, NJ - Battle Hill School students and parents pitched in Tuesday night to make sandwiches for the homeless and those in need.

Alex Rankin and Stacey Callahan from “Be the Change” helped coordinate the sandwich-making effort. “Be the Change” is a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Norma Bowe, a professor at Kean University. Rankin said the group meets every week to make sandwiches ...

UNION, NJ - Battle Hill School students and parents pitched in Tuesday night to make sandwiches for ...

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ - A vehicle traveling on Union Avenue was struck by the NJ Transit Gladstone Line train at the intersection of Union and Rose avenues in New Providence on Thursday evening around 6 p.m. after leaving the Murray Hill Station.

The female driver was brought to Morristown Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to reports by NJTPD. The identity of the woman ...

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ - A vehicle traveling on Union Avenue was struck by the NJ Transit Gladstone ...

UNION, NJ - The Union Public Library will be hosting a "Kids in the Kitchen" event for kids ages 6-12.

The new cookbook club, to be held on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 2:00, asks kids to make a recipe from one of their featured holiday cookbooks and bring to share. Cookbooks will be available to check out from the library at the Children's Circulation Desk. The Union Public Library is located at ...

UNION, NJ - The Union Public Library will be hosting a "Kids in the Kitchen" event for kids ages ...